Cooking Oil & Grease

Put in Garbage

Cooking oil is not recyclabled at the City of Santa Cruz Resource Recovery Facility.

Place only small amounts in the garbage (1 quart limit). It is best to let liquid oil solidify by placing in the refrigerator or freezer or by mixing it with cat litter, flour or sawdust to absorb the oil. Put cooking oil in a leak proof container with a secure lid and place in the garbage. 

Do not place large quantities of cooking oil in the garbage. We are not able to collect it. 

Never mix cooking oil with motor oil or use motor oil containers for cooking oil.

 

sink drain

Never Pour Down the Drain

Do not pour used vegetable oil or cooking grease down your sink drain. Liquid oil can clog the drain and damage pipes in your home.

Let It Solidify

Do not dispose of hot cooking oil until it has cooled down. You can stick the pan in the freezer to speed up the process, or seal the cooking oil in a jar. Then, scrape the cooking oil into the trash.

fryaway

FryAway Hardens your Oil

FryAway is a cooking oil solidifier. Adding this powder to used cooking oil will transform it into a solid that can be disposed of with organic food waste.

Ways to Reuse

strainer

Filter and Reuse It

You can reuse cooking oil more than ten times. Simply filter out the food particles by straining the oil into a clean container.

Did You Know?

Cars Running on Cooking Grease

Many companies and cities are beginning to ask people to donate oil, grease and fat for the creation of biodiesel. Places all around the country have achieved success, from Hawaii to LouisianaPennsylvania and New York. The homebrew fuel movement has taken off, and biofuels are becoming a competitive fuel choice.

During WWII, Disney Helped Turn Bacon into Bombs

“Don’t throw out those lovely puddles of grease drippings — save them for our boys on the front line.”

Learn more.